Shane Battier
Shane Courtney Battier (b. September 9, 1978) is a small forward with the Houston Rockets. Battier was born and raised in Birmingham, Michigan, and attended Derby Middle School, before starting his basketball career at Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills, Michigan, where he won many awards including 1997 "Mr. Basketball of Michigan" while playing for coach Kurt Keener. On September 11 2007, Shane returned to Detroit Country Day School as they retired his jersey, number 55. Shane joined Chris Webber as only the second player to have his athletic number retired by Detroit Country Day School. Latest News *Battier complained of soreness after his first practice of the season, and while he expected it was unsure if it counted him out of a 3-game road trip: “I don’t know... That’s a great question. I would like another practice. Unfortunately, our schedule is not really conducive to having another practice so I don’t know." "http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6122248.html", The Houston Chronicle, Jonathan Fiegen. November 20, 2008. __TOC__ Career College Battier went on to attend Duke University, and played four years under head coach Mike Krzyzewski. He led the Blue Devils to two Final Fours, in 1999 and 2001. The Blue Devils lost to the Connecticut Huskies in the 1999 finals, but came back to win the national championship by defeating the Arizona Wildcats two years later. In 2001, Battier swept the major National Player of the Year awards, and subsequently had his jersey number 31 retired by the Blue Devils. Additionally, Battier was a three-time awardee of the NABC Defensive Player of the Year. Battier graduated from Duke with a major in religion. NBA Battier was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies with the sixth pick of the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft. He was the Grizzlies' second draft pick since the team relocated from Vancouver, Canada after six years. Pau Gasol of Spain was selected in the same draft with the number three pick, by the Atlanta Hawks, then traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. Battier is a versatile player with the size to play inside and the range to score from further out (particularly the corner three-pointer). However, he makes his living as a hustle player on the defensive end, where he defends three positions (shooting guard, power forward, small forward) with a high degree of skill, nets a good number of Block (basketball) and [steals, dives for loose balls, and frequently draws offensive fouls from his opponent. Battier has often been called "the ultimate glue guy" for playing sound, fundamental, team-oriented basketball, making his teammates more effective without flash or padding his own stats, and for making the most of his skills with discipline and hustle rather than raw athleticism. He's also known for his extensive preparation in studying the opposing team and the player he is assigned to guard: "I try to prepare for my opponent as thoroughly as possible. I want to know every angle on the man I am guarding to give me an edge. I read many, many pages and go over strengths and weaknesses many times before a game. Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. That is a motto I like." . On June 2 2006, Battier was traded by the Grizzlies to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Stromile Swift and the Rockets' number 8 selection Rudy Gay in the 2006. Battier's most recent life achievement is to the title "The Kobe Stopper" in regards as one of the best defenders of Kobe Bryant He played for the US national team in the 2006, winning a bronze medal. Awards and honors *'NBA All-Rookie First Team': 2002 * Bronze medal with Team USA: 2006 Media appearances In the 2006, Battier appeared in the NBA Fundamentals series, hosted by TNT, in which players showcase several aspects of the game. He explained how to take charges, i.e. draw offensive fouls. In this clip, Battier explained that a good charge taker needs three things: good court vision, so he knows where the ball is at all times; anticipation, so he can guess the spot where a slashing attacker will dribble to; and courage, because taking a charge hurts. He also emphasised the need to keep your feet outside the blocking circle, because otherwise, the legal charge becomes an illegal block. Battier stated his admiration for Charles Barkley, whom he sees as an elite charge taker. Other He once told ESPN The Magazine's Stuart Scott: "I don't know what I will end up doing post-basketball. I've always been intrigued by politics. I may be a bit too idealistic to run for office. We'll see." He was featured on the cover of EA's NCAA March Madness 2002 video game. In addition, Battier is the Tech Editor for HOOP Magazine. Personal life In July 2003, Battier married Heidi Ufer. They had their first son, Zeke Edward Battier, on June 2, 2008. Battier is also a co-owner of D1 Sports Training in Memphis. External links *Official Site (Under Construction) *Shane Battier player profile at NBA.com * *Shane Battier on BlackHistoryDaily.com *ClutchFans.net Shane Battier Profile - Houston Rocket Fan Site *2001 Oscar Robertson Trophy Sources Category:Houston Rockets 2008 players Category:Houston Rockets 2007 players Category:Houston Rockets 2006 players Category:Houston Rockets players